Ironing-machine.



4 C'. WENDELL, DED. T. s. WENDBLL, ADMENISTRATRIX.

IRONING MACHINE.4 PPLIOATION FILED APR. 12, 1913.

Patented N0v.l24,1914.

2 SHEETS-SBBIIT 2.

@fa/L. 2 4/ zum for feeding moist UNTTED sTATEs PATENT onirica.

FRED c. WENDELL, DECEASED,

BY THERESA s. WENDELL, anmms'rm'rnlx, or Iivi-:wrom:J N. Y.

IRomNG-MAGHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Original application filed February 1, 1913, Serial No. 745,701. Divided and this application led April 12,

To all whom it may conce/rn Be it known that FRED C. WENDELL, late a citizen of the United States, deceased, did invent certain new and useful Improvements in Ironing-Machines, of which the following is a specification. r

This is a divisional application of the pending patent application filed February 1, 1913, Serial No. 745,701.

This invention relates to ironing machines of the type wherein a heated drum combined with pressure rollers and an apron are used fabrics around the drum and pressing them around its periphery,

whereby the ironing is accomplished.

The principal object of the invention 1s to provide an eflicient and improved ironing machine.

Another object is to provide a machine having improved means for ironing both sides of the fabrics when fed therethrough in a single operation.

A still further object is to provide improved means for maintaining a uniform pressure at each end of the pressure rollers, and to maintain said pressure uniform at all times.

According to the invention, the usual heated drum is provided with pressure rollers for ironing one side of the fabrics fed thereto, anda secondary similar drum for ironing the opposite side is mounted to rotate oppositely immediately below the former. Endless aprons coperate with said drums in contact with their peripheries. Said aprons are combined with guide-rolls adjacent said drums whereby portions of the aprons cooperate with said rolls to re verse the fabric as it leaves the first drum and present it tothe periphery of the second drum for ironing its opposite side. The fabric is conveyed from the latter drum by its coperating apron to a delivery table. Air cylinders are provided for each ofthe bearings of said pressure rollers, and pistons therein are connected to said bearings, whereby the pressure of compressed air is applied upon said pressure rollers to exert a uniform pressure thereof against the pe riphery of said drum and they intervening fabrics. The air pressure is reversed and applied to the opposite side of the `piston for maintainingthe rollers away from said -drum when the machine 'is notin use.

Serial No. 760,689.

Other objects and advantages will hereinafter appear. r

In .the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a general side elevation of the ironing machine. Fig. 2 is an enlarged view, partly in section, showing the air pressure device for the pressure-rolls. Fig. 3 isa sectional elevation of the 1ron1ng machine.

A hollow steel cylinder,l or ironing drum- 1 is rotatably mounted on the machine frame 2, by its hollow journals 3 running in bearings 1 secured to said frame, and a similar oppositely revolving secondary drum 5 is rotatably mounted immediately below the drum 1, by its journal running in bearings 7 of said frame. Said drums are disposed horizontally in the machine and parallel to each other, and steam is admitted Within the drums through the hollow journals 3 ando, whereby the drum peripheries are heated and rendered suitable for ironing.

- An endless apron 8 coperating with the drum 1 is in contact with its peri hery at the lower side thereof, and exten s there' from over a drive-roll 9, diagonally downwardly from said roll toward the drum 5, under an idle-roll 10, overa guide roll l1, around idlers 12, 13,'under a slack roll 14',

over an idler 15, and back tothe drum.

slack roll 20, around idlers 21, 22, over a` guideroll 23, under an idler 24, diagonally upward and around an idler 25, to an idler 26, and back to the drum. All of said rolls are provided with suitable bearings Secured to the machine frame 2. The portion of the apron 16 from roll 25 to roll 26 is approxi mately parallel to the portion of the apron 8 from roll 9 to roll l0, and at the roll 9 the apron 16 in contact with the apron 8, so that both of said aprons run in contact with cach other toward the drum 5, due to the aprons running in opposite directions.r

j' Pressure rollers 28, preferably five in number, 'coperatie with the periphery of Patented Nov. 24, 191.4.

n Fig. 11e 1s a front elevat1on,on an enlarged scale,

ino

drum l upon the upper side thereof for pressing the fabrics thereagainst, and a feed-apron 29, provided at the feeding side of the machine, slopes diagonally upward toward'the lirst of said pressure roll- 28, 'and conveys the fabric thereto, ySaid leed-apron passes around a boar-dBi, the sharp edge 32 of which is disposed between the pressure roller 28nl and the periphery of lthe drum 1, and it extends around and is driven by a roll ,33, mounted in a bearing 84 upon the machine frame 2.

ri'he driving mechanism of the machine comprises a drive-shaft 37 which carries a pinion 88 meshing with a gear 39 `keyed to the journal G whereby the drum 5 is driven in a clockwise direction as viewed in the drawing. Gear 39 meshes with a gear 40 on the roll 17, and a sprocket 41 on said ,roll is connected by means of chain to a sprocket 43 upon the roll 18 which drives the apron 16. The gear 89 meshing with a similar gear 44, keyed to the `journal 3, rotates the drum 1 in an oppositey direction to the drum 5 and at the same speed. Gear 44 meshes with a gear 45 fixed 'to the drive, roll 9, which dri ves the apron 8, and a sprocket 46 keyed to said roll /drives all of the pressure rollers 28 by n'ieais of sprockets y47 and sprocket chains 48. v' A. sprocket 49 on drive shaft 37 and a chain '5,0 vtherefor drive a sprocket 5'1 fixed to roll whereby the feed apron is'driven.

The moist fabrics to be ironed are kept in a long receptacle 52 provided at the feed side of the machine. When ironing, the operator spreads the fabric flat and places it upon the feed apron 29 against the table fitted in the machine frame 2. Said apron then feeds the fabric under a straightening roll 54, held in yokes 55 secured to frame 2, and into themachine between the lirst pressure roller 28a and the periphery of the drum. It is then carried around the drum 1, in contact with its hot surface, under thesuccessive pressure rollers 28 and between the endless apron 8 and the drum, during which course the fabric is thoroughly ircncd on one side. From the drum 1 the fabric is carried over the roll 9 .and between the portions 8fL and 16c1 of the aprons 8 and 16 to the secondary drum 5. In its passage over the roll 9 and through said portions of the`aprons the fabric is reversed, so that its opposite side is pre' sented to the hot surface' of the. drum 5, and being held pressingly^the1eto by the apron 16 running in contact therewith the fabric is thoroughly ironed upon its opposite side while carried around this drum. Upon leaving the drum 5, the fabric is conveyed by the upwardly inclined portion 1Gb of the apron 16 over the roll 18; where it is deposited in finished condition upon a delivallai/ia.

ery table 56ixed to brackets 57, extending from the frame 2 opposite the feed side 30 y, of the machine.

.k dottor-roller 58, held in arms 59 mounted on the roll 17, has gear GO in mesh with a` gear (3 keyed 'to said roll whereby it is driven in contact with the drum 5to prevent accidental climbing or sticking of fabrics upon its periphery. Springs G2 fixed to frame 2 at (38 draw the arms 59 to cause the rotating dofl'er-rollcr to bear pressingly againstI the drum. ik similar doferroller (34, having a gear 65 in mesh with a gear 6G upon the roll 9, coperates with the drum 1 above said roll and serves a similar purpose thereat.

T he slack rolls 14 and 20 having bearings 67 slidable on guide-.rods 68 fixed toframe 2 weigh down upon the aprons 8 and 16,

whereby they are maintained taut while the machine is in operation andthe ,required pressure of said aprons against the drums 1 and 5 is effected. As it is desirable for the preservation of the aprons to maint-ainthem slackened and out of contact with the hot drum while the machine is notin use, gears 69 are fixed to said slack rolls and are in mesh with racks 70 fixed to frame 2, so that when said rolls are rotated, by means of hand-wheels 71 lixed thereto, they may be raised and the aprons properly slackened; said rolls being maintained raised by any suitable means, such as by tying a counterweight to the rims of the hand Wheels.

The aprons 8 and 16, which are about as wide as the drums have a' tendency to shift off laterally to the right or left, and this shifting tendency, characteristic in machines of lthis kind, occurs to such an extent as to interfere seriously with the working' of the machine, and sometimes destroys the aprons. To obviate such undue amount of lateral shifting automatic mechanism is provided foreach apron, shown in Figs. 1 4, 5, and 6. Said mechanism includes the apron-control `guide-roll 11 or 23. The end of said roll remote from said mechanism is pivoted in a bearing 72 of the frame 2, and its opposite journal 73 is held in a bearing box 74, of the mechanism, slidable parallelly to the apron in a channeled portion 75 of a base-plate 76 lixed to the frame 2, so that by sliding said box the roll may be swung angularly to the apron about the bearing 72. W'ithin the box 74 are rotatably-mounted rollers 77, .and the jdurnal 78 having a. grooved portion 78 is seated and runs upon said rollers, which. constitute a bearing forsaid roll.

Dogs 79 and 8O depend from a hub 81 which is pivoted eccentrically to the extremity of the journal 73 by means of the stud 82. A lever 83 has a rock-shaft 84 forming partthereof'fulcrumed at ,85 on the box 74,

tending from the hub 81, whereby the rising of said lever will cause the dog 80 to engage a coperating toothed portion-90 provided on the baseplate 7 6, while the falling of the lever will cause the dog 79 to engage a similar copeiatii'ig portion 91 thereof.

The le'ver S'is provided with a thickened cylindrical portion 9'2, made preferably of Wood andof -a required weight, which continually rests upon the edge 93 of the apron; a Weight 94 adjustable along an extension 1 83 `of the lever serving to counterweigh the end 92 to an extent, if found necessary. As-

suming that the apron in its shifting tendency shifts in the direction of the mechanism, the lever 83 will rise'thereby and the dog be caused to engage its toothed portion 90, so that for every revolution made by the roll its eccentiicity with the hub 81 will cause the box 74 to slide and said roll to swing angularly for a distance off one tooth a to the left of a` perpendicular to the apron, as viewed in the drawing. This angular swinging will continue until a maximum point is reached when said angularity will cause a recession of the api'on and it` will shift oppositely and cause a gradual falling of the lever 83. For an interval, therefore, the apron runs true, during which time the dogs 79, 80 aredisposed in the inactive position shown in Fig. 4. As the apron-shifting in the opposite direction and the dog 7 9 is thereby caused to engage the portion 91, whereby the opposite effect takes place and the roll is swung tg the right of a perpendicular to the apron, which again restores the true running of the wapron. Such deliberate predetermined shifting of the apron in both directions is in this way continually effected by thesaid controlling mechanism, which is automatically operated by the apron itself in its shifting tendency, and the excessive lateral shifting of the apron is thereby prevented.A

-The pressure rollers 28 are'mounted in bearings 95, Fig. 2, which are slidable in guiding-ways 96of guides 97, forming part `of thc machine frame 2, that extend radially from the. center of drinn 1. Air cylinders 98 are secured to said guides, at each end of the pressure-roller, by means of a Harige 99 of the cylinder being bolted tl1ereto, and

pistons 100'coperating with the cylinders have their piston-rods 101 secured to the -however continues, the lever 88 falls further bearings 95, by means of heads `102 of said A plug 101i threading into thetop of the Acylinder serves as a cylinder-head, and offers a .convenient means of assembling during construction. i

i i llVhen-the machine is in operation during' `rodsfitting in jaws 103 on said bearings.

maintained above the piston 100 andtransmitted to roller 2S, whereby suitable pressure of said rollers against the intervening fabrics and the periphery 'of the drinn 1 is effected. lVith thisA utilization of air for said pressure rollers absolutely uniform pressure is applied at each end of the rollers at all times, and even if an iiniiioderately thick fabric be` forced to pass under said rollers the pressure would still remain uniform, and such maintenance of uniform pressure is conducive to the productionof even and uniformly fine grade of ironing work. W'hen the machine isnot in usetlie a above euch piston 100 is allowed to exhaust and coniiiicssed airis admitted below each of said pistons through ports 10G, so that the pistons are shifted to the opposite ends of cylinders 98 and the rollers 2S; areI thus lifted and maintained away from the drum l to preserve their felt peripheries from injury by its heat. The chains 48 have considerable slack to compensate for the iiicreased distance between the centers of their sprockets when the rollersare lifted. lVhile the machine is in operation said slack is taken up byl rollers 107, Fig. l. carried on links 1(18 being drawn against said chains by' springs 109 fixed to the lrniiie Variations may be resorted to within the scope of the'invention7 and portions of the 'iinproveiiients may be used without others.

ljlaving thus described the invention,I claim:

1. An ironing machine having the combi'- nation of a revolnble heated drum, a plurality of pressure rollers col'iera'ting therewith for ironing the goods, pneumatic mech anism at the endsof said rollers adaptable `ity of pressure rollers co'iperating with the periphci'y of said drum, said rollers being shiftable toward and away from said drum,

air cylinders, pistons therein, piston-rods connecting said rollers with said pistons,

i and means to admit air of uniform pressure to said pistons to cause said rollers to exert uniform pressure of their peripheries upon the goods. 4 3. An ironing machine having the combination of a revolnlole heated drum, a plurality of pressure rollers cooperating with the periphery of saiddrum, pneumatic mecha- `nisni at the ends ofsaid rollers adaptable i to bear ,against said ends and exert uniform pressureof said rollers against said drum,

and guides for said mechanism disposed radially to said drum; said mechanism includ4 ing air cylinders xed to said guides, pistons"4 ity of pressure rollers cooperating with its periphery for ironing the goods, and mechanism at the ends of said rollers including fixed air cylinders, pistons therein, pistonrods connecting said rollers lwith said pistons, means toffadmit air of uniform pressure to said pistons to eXert uniform pressure of the peripheriesmf said rollers upon the goods, and means for reversing the air pressure Within said cylinders to move and main- `y`tain said rollers away from said drum.

5. An ironing machine h ving the combination of a revoluble drun a plurality of pressure rollers coperating With the periphery of said drum for ironing the goods, pneumatic mechanism at the ends of each of said rollers adaptable to bear thereagainst and exert uniform pressure of the peripheries of said rollers upon the goods, and

means to move and maintain said rollers .away from said drum.

6. An ironing machine havingthe combination of a revolubleheated drum, a plu- 1,1 lama jrality of pressure rollers coperating with its periphery `for ironing the goods, cylinders for said rollers, pistons cooperating with said cylinders, and means to admit fluid of uniform pressure to said pistons to exert uni- A vWith for ironing the goods, and mechanism adaptable to apply uid'pressureupon each of said rollers to exert uniform pressure of the perpheries of said rollers upon the goods.

Signed at the city of New York, in the county of New York, and State of New York, this 5th day of April, A. D. 1913.

rnnnnsa s. WENDELL,

Adm'im'stmtrm of the esataof Fred O.

Wendell. l Witnesses:

CHAs. W. LA RUE, B. ROMAN, 

